Family shattered by Binghamton massacre

NEW YORK - Long Huynh's face and body are shot up, his wife is dead, and his children don't know about any of it.

If it weren't for the children's sake he'd rather be dead himself, his best friend told Sun Media Monday.

The American dream has become a nightmare for this Vietnamese immigrant family ripped apart by the Binghamton, N.Y., massacre last Friday.

Lan Ho, one of the 13 people killed by gunman Jiverly Wong, died in the arms of Huynh as he tried unsuccessfully to shield her. Huynh remains in hospital, as do three other survivors.

Lying in his bed in the intensive care unit at Wilson Hospital in neighbouring Johnson City, the 42-year-old Huynh is a man devastated by the loss of his wife.

"He doesn't want to live anymore," his best friend, Minh Nguyen, told Sun Media by phone Monday. "I told him he should hang on for his two children."

The couple's children, ages 9 and 11, have been staying with Huynh's sister. "They still don't know their mother is dead," Minh said. "I told them that both their parents are in hospital because they fell. I'm waiting for Long to tell them himself."

As Sun Media first reported on Sunday, Huynh and his wife were taking an English course at Binghamton's American Civic Association when Wong, 41, entered the building on Friday morning and began shooting at anything that moved. He didn't say a word throughout, before killing himself.

Huynh was shot three times. One bullet entered his chin and sliced through his face before exiting his cheek. Another ricocheted off his elbow and hit his wife as he tried to shield her by putting his arms around her. It was that bullet that ended his 39-year-old's spouse's life.

"(Huynh) knew immediately that she was dead," Minh said. "He couldn't cry because the gunman would have known he was still alive and would have kept shooting. He cried on the inside."

Huynh's wish is to have his wife buried in Vietnam. Transporting her body there would cost about $30,000 US, a price far out of reach Huynh, as he is out of work. Minh has promised to help, the Red Cross has provided $6,000 in aid, and Binghamton mayor Matthew Ryan phoned Monday morning to offer his help.

Minh had recently offered Lan Ho a job in his manicure salon, Nail Trix. She had worked only 10 days at her new job. Minh described her as "a good mother and a good wife."

Local residents left donations for Huynh's family in a small box by the salon's front door Monday.